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Thursday, February 21, 2019

The Ben-Nadi are a cult of assassins that was founded just over a decade ago by Drago Hirobi, also know as the Seneschal. Drago claims that Nyx, the Goddess of Night and Mother of Monsters, came to him in a vision and instructed him on what he needed to do to create the cult. He even claims that those he recruits are chosen by Nyx to join.Currently, the Ben-Nadi have 47 members and have quickly garnered a reputation for their ruthlessness and efficiency. Rumors insist that after murdering Prince Gonard of Waloria that nobles from all over the Western seaboard began seeking out the Ben-Nadi for contracts to fulfill.Once chosen to join the Ben-Nadi, members are heavily recruited and no one is currently known to turn have turned down membership. Obedience to the Seneschal's tenets are required and included a wide variety of strange taboos. After being chosen, a recruit has close to six months of training before being assigned a target to murder. Only after that assignment is fulfilled successfully is a recruit considered a full member and failure means execution.Members are trained in social situations, combat, acting, disguise, and the art of stealth. Rumors claim that members also have training in shadow magics.While some scoff at the boogeymen that the Ben-Nadi have become, far more in the know point at how quickly their reputation has grown in such a short time.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

I'm a big of fan of Monte Cook Game's Numenera setting, which is a mix of science fiction and fantasy set a billion years in the future. However, I'm not too keen on the Cypher System that powers it.Last week, there were some cryptic hints that MCG might do some kind of conversion of Numenera to DnD 5E. I hope this happens. I think it could be a win-win for the company and the property.It got me thinking of importing some of the Ninth World's ideas into my current DnD 5E game that I'm getting ready to go back to.One of those things are the setting's cyphers, strange and sometime ancient pieces of tech that are indistinguishable from magic. They are, essentially, one use magic items that the PC's get access to randomly.To use a Cypher in 5E, it remains a one use item and lasts as long as it says. If it inflicts damage, the amount is equal to the level of the cypher, often a random amount. The level of the cypher is also added to 8 to determine any Saving Throw DCs that are necessary.Thoughts?

Sunday, February 17, 2019

A quinox is a sorcerer who joins the legions of hell in the Blood War. Once transformed from their mortal frailties, they become beings of light and shadow that delight in harrying their demonic foes and anyone who stands against them.

Shadow Bomb (Recharge 5-6). The quinox casts darkness at a point within 120 feet of it, requiring no components. Charisma is its spellcasting ability for this spell. While the spell persists, the quinox can move the area of darkness up to 35 feet as a bonus action.

Role: Obadiah is relatively young vampire, but was a dogged opponent of undead and monsters in his life. His supernatural gifts make him an especially deadly foe because he knows how a monster hunter thinks.He travels the the countryside in a large covered wagon that is driven by his sister and protector, Barbarella. Barb assisted him in life as a hunter and has become blood bound to him in his undeath, something that truly bothers Obadiah.

Monday, February 11, 2019

Founded by Fu Manchu, the Si-Fan, has haunted the civilized world like a vengeful ghost willing to release pain, suffering, and death in a seemingly random pattern. Unfortunately for the world's police and intelligence agencies, there is nothing random to the Si-Fan's goals.The secret society is comprised of the world's top criminals and assassins and has always been the Devil Doctor's right hand in achieving his dark goals. In recent times, it has operated completely in the shadows and quietly manipulated events behind the scenes, as Fu Machu's daughter, Fah Lo Suee has take a larger leadership role since 2006.In fact, INTERPOL reported as recently as 2015 that the Si-Fan had been absorbed by the League of Shadows and Fu Manchu was presumed dead.Sadly, for the world, The Devil Doctor, his daughter, and this organization are very much alive and recently reignited a war between the Rector and Gable corporation and the Procyon Regime AKA the Flatwood Monsters, by purposely failing an attempt on Gianna Gable's oldest daughter and planting false evidence.Their reasons for this action are unclear, but it will certainty benefit the Si-Fan.

Sunday, February 10, 2019

Coffin Rock's' Dr. Orlando was strangely absent an unaccounted for as the town came together after the defeat of Parson Cheval.The Posse checked out his office and found several freshly skinned corpses and a bloody dress form. It appeared he'd skinned some victims to make a flesh suit and fled.Doc Lightning used her Weird Science to make a skinwalker detector and the various townsfolk were interviewed for information.Meanwhile, Plays With Fire sought the advice fo spirits, where he encountered a strange and ominous woman with golden eyes who advised him they would need silver bullets to kill what Orland had become. When he questioned why she would help him, she admitted that she hoped to turn him toward her darkness. After that he went outside of town and communed with the earth spirit, Tacheene. The earth spirit was in far better shape since being rescued and was able to sense Orlando's corruption.At the same time, the rest of the Posse had procured some silver from miners and had some bullets made.By the time they met up it was early evening and they were hunting in the canyon just outside of town. They came upon Orlando, his bloody form easy to see in the cloudless sky. He summoned some coyotes, but the battle was over fairly quickly and the Posse was victorious.They returned to town and were welcomed with drink and excitement.In the morning, Pearl Daily, the new Mayor asked them to stay on to help the town, but hey turned her down.They headed to Kansas for the reward for Archer and his Out of Control gang.On the train, we used the Interlude rules to find out more about each character. Doc Lightning has a beloved cat back east; Shady had a sad story about his father; The Reverend admitted to finding his calling and swaying the likes of 2000 souls; Shorty revealed that he came West and lost his wife and kids; Plays With Fire admitted to a fascination to technology, but his loyalty to the Old Ways keeps him from pursuing it.They got to Kansas and got their reward. They contemplated various jobs and settled on heading to Tombstone, AZ to help Doc Holiday and the Earps.The trip to Tombstone was eventful, though the were uncomfortable going about town unarmed.They came across the Earps in the Oriental Saloon, who were pursuing Ike Clanton and Tom McLaury armed in town and headed out to deal with them.A drunken youngblood named Bixler Tate started cussing and causing a ruckus. He picked a fight with the Posse and a bar brawl commenced. The Posse came out on the winning end and they noticed Tate wore a red bandana which connected him to the Cowboy gang. The Posse decided to tie him up to wait for the Earps to return.

Friday, February 8, 2019

I've been a DM for over 25 years. I've always thought of myself as being good at it. I try to make the table comfortable for others, I spotlight the players, and I want everyone to have fun.But something strange has occurred in the last few months: I've lost confidence in myself. I'm sure part of it was the burnout on DnD 5E (I'm loving Savage Worlds in the Deadlands setting since the change). And I think another part of it was my switch over from being a DM who used 100% self-written adventures to nearly 100% published adventures. But I don't think that explains it all.Its something I'm struggling with. Being a good DM is important to me and I have two awesome groups these days (and I even get to play in 1 of them). I figure if I can root out the cause of the lack of confidence, I can better work on how to fix it.One thing I've noticed is that I've always been a very improvisation DM and that's something I've moved away from. Perhaps that was the first symptom?I don't think DMs always get the credit they deserve. While its great to see people like Matt Mercer, most of us don't have his background or budget and I think it can set an unrealistic expectation for some within the hobby. Don't get me wrong, show like Critical Role are great for the hobby, but every DM is different and the fact they are willing take on the responsibility should earn them some love.I wrote this in hopes of a) exorcising whatever demon I've got right now and b) to let others know that if they go through this kind of thing, they are not alone.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Jon Martin Coooper Jr. is the oldest of three children of Jon Sr. and Lena. They met while working at Makro Chemical in Texas. After marrying they moved to Lena's hometown of Dayton, OH to raise their family, with Jon Sr. taking a position at Brighton Solutions and Lena becoming an Art teacher at Sizemore Elementary.

At the age of 11, JJ was spending the night at a friends house when a fire started and in his fear and panic, he duplicated for the first time to help wake up his friend's family. Within a week after the incident, the Coopers were first approached by Elias and Tomasina Ash to join their new school, the Kiln in Louisville, KY.

JJ graduated with his Bachelors in entrepreneurial studies and music at the age of 17 and has gone on to help recruit new students for the Kiln.

He also has been known to team up with several other former students as part of ECHELON, doing freelance security and intelligence work.

Monday, February 4, 2019

"It was a terrible, indescribable thing vaster than any subway train—a shapeless congeries of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and un-forming as pustules of greenish light all over the tunnel-filling front that bore down upon us, crushing the frantic penguins and slithering over the glistening floor that it and its kind had swept so evilly free of all litter."— H. P. Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness

Saturday, February 2, 2019

The Posse had entered a rift, created by the elemental Tacheene, to stop the evil Parson Cheval from his nefarious plan. However, still weakened by his capture and ordeal, Tacheene's magic delivered themoutside the church that Cheval and his cult were holed up in.Landing on their bottoms, the Posse experienced a blood-red moon, a howling wind, and evil, alien chanting coming from within the church. Plays With Fire used his brawn to break down the locked door and Triple J uses his rifle to blow the head clean off of Parson Cheval as he intoned his evil spell and a black rift was forming in the air in front of his pulpit.The Parson's followers, tainted beyond redemption and maddened by his death, attacked while the Parson's lady love, Olive, took his place intoning the spell.Fire, gatling guns, pistols, and longarms mowed down the evil cultists and even shot down Olive before she could finish the spell. As the battle ebbed, he shadowy rift as it wavered in the air, with the smell of brimstone wafting out.The Posse's Preacher attempted to use his faith to close it and had some small success. This led Doc Lightning, the Posse's weird scientist to investigate it too. Sadly, he paranoia and irrational curiosity took over (she rolled snake eyes) and she jury-rigged a device to expand the rift and a demon, straight out of Hell, strode forth from it before it finally closed.While the monster put up a fight, it was soon taken down by science and faith working in unison and the Posse, believing the church was tainted beyond repair, burnt the building down to its foundations.The only thing left was the O'Malley Bible from Sweetwater, AZ.As the building burned, the Preacher began an epic sermon to the gathering townsfolk. The Posse had rooted out a festering evil and killed a spawn of Hell, it was time to repent. Repent!He preached all through the night and well past dawn. The whole town joined in and found redemption, even the soiled doves who's turned cannibal at the Jewel. A true Revival formed and most of the town found God and sought redemption.At 9am, the Posse decided they weren't going to stick around once they fulfilled their bounty against Mayhem Archer and his Out of Control gang and gathered several business owners and the Mayor to decide if the lone surviving deputy of Marshal Bryce's was worthy of taking over the position.While, the group was meeting with this new city council, Mayhem Archer and his gang, hearing the Marshal was dead, rode into the middle of town and was shooting it up and looking to take it over.The gunfight was short and soon the Posse had taken the bounties on the now dead Archer and his whole gang. Soon after, Shelly Pearl and her gang rode into town, also hearing of Bryce's death. However, Shelly Pearl Daily, the town's founder's daughter, meant no harm and her gang of abused wives and daughters weren't looking for anything but justice now that the Marshal was dead.The council met with the Posse, Shelly, and acting Marshal Lilith Hightower, who had been baptized by the Preacher the previous night. She also revealed that Bryce had gotten hold of John Daily's lost deeds and handed them over to Shelly. This led to Lilith getting the job of Marshal, Pearl becoming the new Mayor, and her gang becoming the new deputies.Marshal Hightower then signed off on the handbills for Mayhem and his gang, allowing them to depart to Kansas to collect their just rewards.The Posse has some irons in the fire though. Will they return the O'Malley Bible to it's rightful owners? Will they head to Tombstone to help Doc Holiday? Is a cattle drive in their future? We'll just have to wait and see.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Wind In the Trees was born a half-breed Apache, the product of rape to Summer Moon, the daughter of the tribe's shaman. She was never fully accepted by her tribe and only her Grandfather and Mother treated her well. However, even when the tribe was attacked by cavalry, Wind In the Trees fought like a lion, and was able to at least save her Grandfather from the attack.

Wind In the Trees convinced her Grandfather to teach her in the ways of medicine. She was greatly gifted in its use, but her anger and hurt from the world darkened her power and the path she walked.

The Reckoners took notice of her and began to reach out to her, walking in her dreams and offering her more power. She gladly drank of it and happily walked deeper into blackness. Finally, her Grandfather confronted her and warned her of her path and threatened to stop teaching her. She laughed at the old man and told her that her real teachers said he would say that and told him that she could only gain full knowledge of her arts by slaying him. Her Grandfather spread his arms and allowed her to strike him down. On that night, Wind In the Trees died and Dances With Ghosts was born.